Understanding diversity ties community together

Diversity is a fundamental asset in any community. The understanding of diversity is about much more than just tolerance and avoiding judgment or stereotyping.

Diversity and inclusion in a world populated with differences is not just a common-sense decision; it is the foundation of our country and the essence of our development as a great nation. Freedom, equity and respect of human dignity are values that make this nation so remarkable. The ability to perform based on what we really are stems from our awareness of the importance of the whole and the significance of uniqueness.

Dan Gleiter, The Patriot-NewsThe Harrisburg Regional Chamber and Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) held a Supplier Diversity Symposium Wednesday, Sept. 23 at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center. The event allows businesses to network with decision makers from large corporations with contracting opportunities. Dan Gleiter, The Patriot-News

In Dauphin County, we have been fortunate to have an ongoing commitment from the Dauphin County commissioners to embrace and promote diversity and inclusion. This initiative, started by Dauphin County Human Services, has created avenues to promote diversity in the region.

One of the benefits of this commitment is expanding the understanding of diversity and inclusion in our work force — in government as well as in the community. At its best, creating a welcoming and diverse environment allows people to see their differences and similarities and be better able to relate to one another.

Cross-cultural communication plays a significant role in our daily interactions to better serve our clients or customers. The adage “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care” applies.

In the end, what matters is not how much you know, but how effective you are in transferring this knowledge to others. Consequently, be conscious enough to check, as many times as possible, that you really understand others, as well as assure that you are being understood by others. Addressing the needs of a diverse population starts with awareness of diversity and a proactive attitude to cultural sensitivity.

Hector Ortiz

Awareness is a knowledge-based approach that is formed in our openness to change and our commitment to learn from other viewpoints. It comes from our intention to better understand differences and our commitment to interact with the diversity of cultures and groups in our community. That includes social and economic backgrounds, abilities and disabilities, beliefs and sexual orientation.

Dauphin County has a population that is 25 percent African American, Latino and Asian. But if we concentrate just on ethnic differences as a way of addressing diversity, we miss the point. Diversity should be focused on the wider spectrum of similarities and differences.

The second component, cultural sensitivity, involves our feelings and ways of perceiving the differences in our community. Multicultural competence is a higher behavioral level that is closest to the degree of acceptance that everyone should emulate and follow. As attorney Louis Nizer said, “When there is no difference, there is only indifference.”

Sometimes the intention of being sensitive is not enough. Language barriers can be a deterrent in cross-cultural communication. Offering the opportunity to communicate in the language that clients prefer is a plus in any organization. It can make the difference in the services that we provide.

This is why organizations such as the Latino Hispanic American Community Center and the International Service Center have been successful in reaching out to the Harrisburg-area community, identifying the needs of those who are often underserved, and connecting with most of the services that are already in the community.

Centers such as LHACC have been creative enough to collaborate in a solution-focused initiative that allows serving in better ways. They use cross-cultural interaction to deal with the socio-economic issues that face our communities, especially in time of economic distress, unemployment and extended poverty.

Any organization can become aware of diversity and develop cultural sensitivity to better serve their clients and improve business interactions. As the saying goes, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progressing; working together is success!”

Hector Ortiz is community liaison and contract manager at Dauphin County Human Services and president of the Latino Hispanic American Community Center in Harrisburg.